Making That Mole Removal Scar Fade Away
If you're among the lucky ones, a mole removal does not result in a huge scar. In fact, many scars fade rather quickly, especially for smaller moles. But for a lot of people, the scar remains evident for a very long time. This can be embarrassing or annoying if the mole was removed from a person's face and if the removal procedure was more invasive.
No matter the procedure or your skin type, you can take action to minimize whatever scarring could occur. Even if you can't prevent a scar completely, you can improve your chances of making the scar fade faster and blend back in with the surrounding skin.
Protecting the Scar From Sunlight
An essential step in minimizing scarring is to protect the scar site from sunlight for up to a year. Part of the problem with exposing the removal site to sunlight is that the new skin formed as the wound healed is very susceptible to burning. This can damage the skin and lead to longer healing times. Once the wound is fully healed, you can use strong sunblock on it or simply keep it well covered. If the scar is on your face, use good facial sunblock and wear hats to provide additional shade when outside.
Following Post-Removal Care Instructions Exactly
You'll get a set of post-op care instructions that are pretty basic — you'll keep the wound covered for a short time while protecting it from water, and then you'll have further instructions for keeping it hydrated or dry, covered or uncovered, and so on. Follow those as closely as you can. If you can follow them exactly, so much the better. The care instructions are meant to allow the wound a chance to heal very well and within a reasonable amount of time. If you don't give it those conditions, it could take longer to heal and result in more scarring from the unstable healing process that it just went through.
Trying Non-Surgical Medicinal Treatments
As the scar starts fading and becoming flatter, you may want to speak with your dermatologist about non-surgical medical options, such as gel or special plastic sheets that can help heal the site. Laser treatments may also be available to aid in making skin smoother.
Potential Cosmetic Surgery
Finally, if the scar is big, noticeable, and noticeably not flat, additional cosmetic surgery may be necessary. Sometimes the slight bulge of a mole removal scar on the face can interfere with shaving, for example; your dermatologist can determine what the best course of action to reduce that bulge will be.
Mole removal doesn't doom you to always having a spotty scar visible to everyone you talk to. Even the worst scars fade on their own over time, and mole removal scars tend to be on the smaller side anyway. With the right care and procedures, you can help make those small scars get even smaller.
Contact a dermatology clinic to learn more.
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